FISHES OF MINNESOTA 49 



of the upper jaw; jaws, vomer and palatine bones well set with 

 teeth; some small teeth on the tongue. Gill openings large; gill 

 membranes free from the isthmus; gill rakers tubercle-like and 

 toothed; branchiostegal rays 12 to 20. Scales small; lateralline 

 not well deveiloped, especially in young specimens. Dorsal fin in- 

 serted far back, about opposite the anal. No barbels, adipose fin 

 of pyloric caeca; air-bladder simple. 



One genus and two species represented in the state. 



Genus LUCIUS Eafinesque. 

 KEY TO THE SPECIES OF LUCIUS. 



A. Cheeks entirely covered with scales; branchiostegal rays 11 to 16. . luclus. 

 AA. Lowerhalf of the cheeks and opercles without scales; branchiostegal 



rays 17 to 19 masquinongy. 



liucius lucius (Linnaeus). Common Pike, Pickerel. 



Color grayish with many circular or oval white spots, these 

 spots sometimes of a yellowish hue; black spots on the dorsal, 

 caudal and anal fins. Body considerably elongate, back not ele- 

 vated; head long; eye inserted midway between the snout and the 

 posterior margin of the opercle. Cheeks covered with scales; lower 

 half of the opercles scaleless ; 123 scales in the lateral line. Head 

 contained 3J times in the length. Depth 5. Eye 6^ in the head, 

 3^ in the snout. Snout contained 2 2-5 times in the head. Dorsal 

 inserted far back, over the anal, contains 16 to 17 developed rays. 

 Anal 13 to 14. Branchiostegal rays 14 to 16. Length 4 feet. 



This is one of the most common fishes in the state. There is 

 scarcely a lake or stream from which it has not been taken. De- 

 tailed data concerning its distribution is unnecessary. 



liUcius masquinongy (Mitchill). Muskallunge. Maskinongy. Muscallouge. 

 Great Pike. 



Color considerably lighter than that of the L. Iticius; irregular 

 black spots on the sides; lower parts white; fins spotted with 

 black. Cheeks without scales on their lower halves. Head con- 

 tained 3f times in the length. Depth 6. Snout contained 2f times in 

 the head. Dorsal fin with 17 rays. Anal 15. Branchiostegal rays 

 17 to 19. One hundred and fifty rows of scales between the opercle 

 and base of the caudal. Length 4 to 8 feet. 



This species does not differ greatly from L. lucius except in the 

 scaleless cheeks, number of branchiostegal rays and the color, yet 



